What One Man Can Do
by sierra.steinbrecher
Summary: Sometimes Aslan does not call people to Narnia because they need to learn. Sometimes, beautiful Narnia is their reward for what they accomplished in their own world. But sometimes, the people who were meant to enjoy Narnia end up changing it for the better. Don't own either thing.
1. Goodbye, Alphonse

"Stop, what are you doing?" But Edward took no notice of the shout. He just kept walking towards the huge shaggy beast that had startled most of Central.

"Fullmetal, get away from it," cam another shout, but Mustang's had as much effect as Al's had. The alchemist did not pause and kept walking forward.

He stopped right in front of the massive lion and then did something that surprised everyone there. Edward Elric dropped to his knees. That more than anything stilled Alphonse, Riza and the rest. _Maybe,_ Al thought, _Brother knows something we don't._

And then the lion spoke. The voice resonated down the street and shook Alphonse's patched heart to pieces before putting it back together so that it was better than it had been before. That voice filled him with euphoria greater than when he'd first seen Ed again after a year of separation. Beside him, Riza lowered her gun, Mustang put down his hand, and the others took a step back. "Rise, my son," he said, for the voice was a man's deep and rich, but soft, like a hand on his shoulder.

Edward got up from his knees and stood inches from the lion's great maw. Then the beast shoved his head towards the blond and Alphonse took a step forward, running to protect his brother. But said brother again did the unexpected. He reached up and put his arms around the enormous shaggy head and shook as he tangled his fingers in the golden mane. "Aslan, I have missed you."

A rumble sounded, like a massive alchemic reaction, and Alphonse realized that the lion was purring. "I never left you, my son. You have done well."

Mustang watched as Edward visibly sagged against the great cat. "Have you come to take me back," the blond asked and the words clicked several things into place in the Colonel's mind. Edward had never told them where he'd been that year. The lion, Aslan, he guessed his name was, had come from the same place. And Edward had never seemed quite right when he came back. It wasn't just his new skills with the sword, or how he seemed even more frustrated with his height, or how Winry and he had fallen to bits and Alphonse had picked up the pieces. It was also how lonely Fullmetal seemed when he thought no one was watching.

If a lion could smile, this one did. "Yes, my son. You have many friends who miss you. But I believe there is someone here you need to say goodbye to." Al's heart lurched. Ed was leaving somewhere?

Edward let go of the lion and walked towards his little brother. He slipped something out of his pocket and when he reached Al, handed him the small but thick bundle. Al felt the corner of a book through the paper and wondered. "Read them once I'm gone, Al." He pulled him into a hug. "I hope you will be happy with Winry. And don't worry about me."

"Where are you going," Al finally managed to say, his voice still wavering.

Edward smiled at him. "I'm going home, Al. I wish you could come with me, so I could show you everything, Aslan's How, Cair Paravel, The Lone Islands, and more." He let go and backed up a step. "But you'll be fine here." He gently punched his younger brother in the shoulder. "Keep all my nieces and nephews in line, Al." Then he turned away and walked back towards the lion. The great beast smiled at the golden head again and a warm wind swept down the street as the animal breathed on his brother. Then, astonished, all present watched as Edward changed.

His legs lengthened and he grew tall, his shoulders broadening further and muscle filling out his frame. His hair grew as well, unwinding from his braid and falling down his back. The black leather pants and boots grew with his frame, lightening in color to a dull brown for the boots and a light tan for the pants. When he turned around, Riza saw a full, short beard and smile lines at the corners of his eyes. Then he smiled and it nearly stopped Al's heart. He'd never seen Edward smile like that, without any hint of triumph, cheekiness, or wildness. Its warmth was older than Edward was supposed to be, more understanding than anyone his age should have been. A smile that was happy, but not at all simple, and it struck Alphonse like a punch to the stomach when Edward wound his hands in Aslan's mane again and turned away. The both of them, man and beast, vanished, and those standing there in military blue and with one in Ed's old coat, were left not knowing what to think.

Much later, the entirety of Mustang's office along with Alphonse and Winry sat in the Colonel's inner office and Al cracked open the first of the books. A slip of paper fell out. Riza picked it up and, after a nod from the remaining Elric, read the letter out loud.

 _Brother,_

 _If you are reading this then I have finally gone back to Narnia. It was where I went during that one year I was missing, but for me, it was much longer. I spent twenty years in that land, growing up with friends, learning to live alongside some of the strangest individuals I ever met. But Narnia is also where I met Aslan, the Great Lion, Father to all who love him. Without Him, I don't think I would have lived long enough to fall in love with Narnia. So, while I love you very dearly, I have friends and family there that need me and you don't, not anymore. I know you will have a good life, and you don't need to worry about me, because I will have a good life there too._

 _When I entered Narnia for the first time, Aslan gave me back my limbs and told me that Narnia was my reward for all that I had suffered in Amestris. Killing Sloth, hurting you, and all the other things were trials I went through to help Amestris, and Aslan rewarded that by giving me twenty years in Narnia. And they were some of the best years of my life. He told me I had to come back, to reassure you that I was fine and to see that you were alright too, and that afterwards He would let me choose whether or not to go back. My only regret in all of this is that you could not come with me to Narnia and share all that I love._

 _I know you will not understand this, so I have written down some of my life there to help you understand what it was like and why I love that country so much, and why I feel it needs me more than you. And even if you still hate me after you've finished, at least you will understand. These books are written as if by someone else, and with details I only learned later from friends afterwards, but it is the best explanation I can give._

 _No matter what world I'm in, I am still your brother, and I love you. Aslan be with you._

 _Edward._

Riza put down the letter and Alphonse swiped a gloved hand across his face, wetting the cloth. No one said anything as he cracked open the first book and started to read.

 **I started this a long time ago, but figured I might as well let you in on it. As a girl, I grew up on the stories of Narnia like some people grow up with the Adams Family or Harry Potter. For this reason, I hated what the directors did to** ** _Prince Caspian,_** **though I did like certain parts of that. So, I looked for a way to keep what I liked about the film and mitigate some of the damage. Then, as I watched the film again, along with** ** _Voyage of the Dawn Treader,_** **I began to see the scenes I would need to bring someone else into Narnia, someone I always felt I could throw into any story or world and watch him go to work. And here we have the result.**

 **Enjoy this tale, and please tell me what you think.**


	2. Glozelle's Best Friend

"What are you doing?"

"I cannot go against orders."

"You can when it's treason!"

Glozelle glared at his oldest friend. "I am a general of Lord Miraz's army."

"An army he stole when he killed the king! You were there, I was there. We BOTH know what happened." Edward gripped the general's shoulder and stopped him in his tracks. "Please, don't do this."

But Glozelle shrugged off the comforting hand. "Your tutoring of the prince has softened your heart, Edward."

He walked away, but as he reached the end of the hall, he felt eyes burning into the back of his head and turned around. "And yours has petrified. Then let's see what wins. My soft heart or your stone one," Edward shouted at the general before he turned tail and ran. Glozelle's grip on the hilt of his sword tightened. Fighting his old friend was that last thing he wanted, but if Edward forced him to, he would. He went to ready his men.

Edward ran to the prince's room and bumped into his school tutor on the way. "What are you doing," the elderly man asked, very suspicious. Edward might not scorn him as most military did, but the half-dwarf did not trust the man.

"Trying to save the prince," the blond lieutenant general answered. "Glozelle is headed for him right now."

The doctor made a split second decision. "Go prepare two horses and wait at the gates. Pack food and arms, but don't let anyone see you."

Edward nodded. "You're staying behind?"

Cornelius nodded. "I would only slow you down. Now go." Edward ran. _Arms first,_ he though and barreled into the armory. He grabbed a mail shirt, an extra sword, two bows and four quivers of arrows. Then he emptied out the sack of polishing equipment and headed for the kitchen. Bread, cheese, dried meat, but mostly bread was shoved into the sack and he tied the top tight. The stables were next. Quickly, he saddled the prince's horse and his favorite mount, a black gelding that had been his mount in the last battle.

Quickly, he tied the four quivers onto the saddles, one for each side. The mail shirt went on one side of his horse and the food on the other to balance out the weight. Just as he led the two animals out into the courtyard, the Doctor came down one of the stairways dragging Caspian behind. "Wait," the prince stalled. "Why is he helping us? I thought it was my uncle's orders to kill me."

Edward spread his arms wide. "I've never liked bossy superiors. Now let's go, before they find us."

Caspian and Edward mounted up and the older man kept his horse still as the Doctor talked to his pupil and handed him something. "Now go, out the gates," the old man said and Caspian kicked his mount into action.

The Lieutenant General stopped him. "No, we'll go out the side passage. Follow me," he ordered the prince and headed to the right. They rode through alleyways and back streets, some so thin that the quivers on the sides of the saddles scraped against the stone walls. But no one saw them winding through the castle until they reached the small gate in the great wall.

Caspian looked on in slight wonder. "I didn't know about this," he said.

Edward shrugged. "Glozelle and I found it when we were running from the drill sergeant one time. Come on."

There was a sentry posted by the door, but Edward just waved to him and the soldier unlatched the door. "Sir," he said and bowed as they rode past and out into the night. They made it out of the castle without the alarm being raised, but the horses spooked from a loud noise behind them before they'd gotten very far.

The commander and the prince looked up and saw the whole sky painted in colors as the castle fired off firework after firework. "Is that for my uncle's son," Caspian asked.

Elric nodded. "Yes."

The brunette looked wistfully at the bright night sky. "Were there fireworks when I was born?"

Edward just shrugged. "Don't know, I wasn't there," he answered. "We should keep going." He flicked the reins and spurred his horse into a cantor. Caspian turned away from the castle of his birth and followed his sword tutor into the night.

When they reached the forest, the two riders slowed to a walk to make it easier on the horses and avoid getting hit by any branches. "Where are we going?" Caspian asked the older man.

As he ducked another branch, the blond answered. "An old hideout of mine, it's pretty close to the River Rush. Besides, there are people there you should meet."

For a while longer, they rode in silence until the young prince broke it with a question. "Why are you helping me?"

Edward shrugged. "I wanted to, and because I think you can help Narnia. But mostly because I wanted to." He looked around and halted his horse. "We're here." Both men dismounted and tied their reigns to a nearby tree. Caspian looked around the area. They were still in the woods, but though it was dark, it didn't seem as dangerous as the rumors led him to believe. Actually, it seemed like any other woods. An owl hooted in the branches and other normal nighttime sounds filled the air. Nothing remotely spooky about the place, really. He turned around when he heard a knock and saw his sword tutor standing next to the trunk of an enormous tree with his fist still on the wood. "Come on, Nikabrik, don't leave me out here," Edward chastised and looked back at Caspian. "Loosen the saddles and let the horses graze. We'll probably be here a while."

The prince did as asked. While he worked, he could hear Edward talking to the tree. "Trufflehunter, please let us in, I know you remember me." Then a panel of bark, which was in fact a small door, swung back on hinges and the smallest man Caspian had ever seen reached out and grabbed Edward by the arm.

 **And here we have Narnia with Edward. THe ending on this chapter took me a while to get right, and I'll explain more as the story goes on. But please review!**


	3. Caspian, Meet Narnia

Edward grinned and grabbed the arm back at the elbow in a loose approximation of a handshake and waved Caspian over. "Come on, let's discuss this inside," the blond urged, but before he could continue, a voice from inside the tree cut him off.

"What' she doing here?" The voice was deep with a hint of gravel and didn't sound all that friendly.

With a roll of his eyes, Edward said, "He's a friend of mine and he's in trouble. Let us in?" The previous voice grunting which Edward took as a sign of consent. He and Caspian ducked through the small door and into one of the strangest houses Caspian had ever seen.

It wasn't dirty or wet, like one would expect, but it was obvious what they were inside of. Great roots curved across the ceiling in natural arches and slid down into other roots to form the walls. The floor was level, which was a relief to Caspian since it meant he wouldn't be constantly tripping, but he could tell where someone, one of the inhabitants probably, had packed earth and in some cases smooth rock around the tree's roots to make the floor smooth enough for safe footing. Small windows placed high on the walls let in plenty of natural light, a small fire lit in an area entirely dug out of earth gave the place a warm feel, and a delicious smell wafted over from the large pot over the flames.

The smell drew the prince's attention to what looked like the kitchen and the three…well, Caspian wasn't quite sure what they were. Humans weren't that small and he was pretty sure one of them was covered in fur. They all sat around a small flat-topped rock on roots that had been curved into seat shapes growing up from the floor. And then there was no more time to observe as his sword teacher rushed past him, scooped up one of the smaller figures, and hugged it close.

"Put me down, you great buffoon, you're far too tall now! This is no way to treat a Narnian," said a growly voice that wanted to be scornful but was too full of cheer to manage it.

Edward held out the smaller body with both arms and smirked at the scowling furry features. "Is that any way to greet an old friend, Trufflehunter?"

The badger, though it was a bit too large to be a regular badger, frowned even darker and chided, "If you'd put me down, I might be able to greet you and our other guest properly."

The remarked reminded Edward of Caspian's presence and he waved the prince over. "Trufflehunter, Trumpkin, Nikabrik, this is Prince Caspian the Tenth. Caspian," he started, "these are my friends. Trufflehunter is the badger, he's a talking beast," he introduced as the now named badger walked over and shook Caspian's hand. "Trumpkin, the redhead, is a red dwarf," Edward continued.

The short man got up from his place at the table and circled the younger man. "Tabletops and tankards, never thought I'd see two humans in this house," the dwarf muttered, but he too shook Caspian's hand and there was a hint of a smile around his mouth when he sat back down.

Edward then finished introductions, scowling at the last figure. "And the black dwarf acting very rudely and not saying hello is Nikabrik."

The dwarf with a black beard ground his teeth a bit and stared at the soup pot. "Is it ready yet?"

Trufflehunter snapped, "It'll be ready in a bit. And Edward's right, you're being very rude." He grabbed Caspian's hand with his paw and pulled him over to the table. "Why don't we all sit down and have some soup? I'm sure Edward and…Caspain, was it? They surely have a story to tell."

So the furry friend busied himself at the soup pot and Trumpkin managed to find two stools shaped out of branches for the guests. Once they were all comfortable, with a still slightly nervous Caspian seated next to his sword tutor, Edward began the story. "There are some who could tell this story better, because they were there, and what I know is only what I've been told." He looked sideways at the young prince. "Hold your temper and your questions until I've finished." Caspian nodded. "It started when Miraz decided being brother to the king wasn't enough." He told of how the current ruler had undermined the council by sending off its members or subjecting them to "accidents". Caspian's hands clenched on his thighs and Nikabrik's face became smug.

When Edward told of how he appointed his friends as generals the black dwarf snorted. "Just goes to show you. Rotten, the lot of them."

Caspian's fury crescendoed and he would have leapt across the table if not for the hand gripping his arm. Golden eyes skewered the smug face. "No race is entirely good or evil. You should know that best of all, Black Dwarf." Nikabrik muttered something uncomplimentary but backed down and Edward continued his story. "Once his brother was out of the way, Miraz took the throne, but he kept Caspian as a backup and tried to mold him into a second version of himself." Then, for the first time during the telling, Edward smirked. "Luckily, the boy had teachers who prevented that. But now Miraz wants his own son to inherit, and ordered the military to kill Caspian. His tutor and I got him out in time and the court won't know he's gone until tomorrow morning at the earliest."

"Twigs and truffles," Trumpkin moaned, "You've brought trouble right to our doorstep."

Edward's grin widened. "That, or a chance to get Narnia back."

Trufflehunter's face near shone with hope, and though Trufflehunter looked a great deal less pleased, there was fire in his eyes." Nikabrik looked between his two companions and the man they'd once fished out of the River Rush. "Alright," the black dwarf asked, "What's the plan?"

 **I'm so happy! I got my first review for this story! Hearing how someone liked my work was such a treat for me, especially since this story is sort of hidden where a lot of people don't know to look. So every comment I get, I treasure! That said, how did I do with keeping the three Narnians in check. It's been a while since I read the book or watched the movie, and this story will have elements from both. For instance, I loved the older Caspain from the movie but the whole siege thing was a disaster.**

 **Please tell me what you think! Oh, and check out my youtube account. I've got some great Narnia stories!**


	4. Friends and Forces

The first thing the group decided was what they'd do tomorrow. Trufflehunter, Trumpkin, and Nikabrik would take Caspian around the woods to meet as many Narnians as possible and to invite them to a council of war on the Dancing Lawn. Edward would head off on his own towards Lantern Waste. "I have some friends there from before I joined the army," he'd explained to a curious Caspian. "They'll help us, if I can get ahold of them."

So, the next morning, Edward had hopped onto his horse and taken off for the west while the three Narnians dragged the prince off to visit their friends. The first place Edward stopped was the banks of a beautiful lake. Quickly dismounting, he went over to the side of the lake, knelt, and ran his hands through it. Then he stuck his face in the water and whistled a sequence of five notes into the lake. Finished, he jerked his head out of the water and looked around. With a splash, a large green Frog popped up on the bank. It looked around for a moment until it saw the blond. "Edward, as I live and swim!" the creature hopped over to the man and grabbed his hand between his front flippers. "I thought you joined that silly Telmarine army."

Edward shifted to sit cross-legged and grinned at the large frog. "No, I was infiltrating their ranks, keeping an eye on them. I even managed to steal their prince away under their noses. How've you been, Swapper?"

Swapper bobbed his head. "Things have been alright here. Swisheen still doesn't like me, though."

Edward wanted to roll his eyes, he really did. "Swapper, Swisheen is a trout. I don't think you would make a good couple. Anything else?"

The little frog ran his front foot over his face, and then shook his head. "Not really. You know I'm not a gossip. Why?"

Grimacing slightly, the blond rose to his feet. "I have a lot of people to see today. We're having a war counsel to talk about how to handle the situation with the prince and the Telmarines. It's on the big dancing lawn this evening. Will you come?"

Swapper bobbed his head enthusiastically. "I'll hop all day if I have to. It was good to see you again, friend." Edward threw his amphibious friend a smile and headed back into the woods. He spent a good hour sneaking through the woods around the main Telmarine cities, an unfortunate necessity to get to Lantern Waste. One of his oldest friends lived very close to the famous light fixture, and he would want to know about the war council, even if he chose not to attend. Besides, Edward had promised he would see him again.

When he finally reached the large stone hill, Edward dismounted and strode up to the door set in the side of the hill. "Zachary," he said loudly as he knocked, "are you there?" He stood there in front of the door until he heard the sound of hoof on stone and the door was cracked open to reveal two brown eyes.

Those same eyes crinkled up in a smile and the door was flung wide as a stout fawn woman threw her arms around the blond and did her very best to break his ribs in a tight hug. "Edward, it's been too long! How are you? Where've you been? We missed you!" She pulled back just her head and saw his open, gasping mouth. "Oh dear," she tittered, quickly letting go.

Gingerly, Edward straightened up and, when he felt no protestations from his ribs, smiled. "It's good to see you, Eleanor. Is anyone else home?"

"Just me at the moment, dear," the kindly fawn laughed. "The kids should be home soon, if you'd like to stay, but I don't know when Zachary will be back."

Edward cringed. "I'll have to catch up with him some other time, then. I'm kinda busy today. I quit the Telmarine army a couple days ago and stole the prince on my way out. Now Narnia's fighting back and I'm traveling around to see if any of my old friends will come to the war council tonight at the Dancing Lawn to help plan our strategy." He scrubbed a hand over his eyes. "I was hoping Zachary would come, since he's one of the only people who has records of the last great war, the one against the White Witch." Eleanor sagged a little but still smiled at him. "I also just wanted to see all of you again."

After hearing that, she perked up again. "Thank you for coming to see us, Edward. I'll pass the message along. Even if Zachary doesn't go, some of the younger Tumnus fawns will be there if I have anything to say about it." She smoothed down her graying hair and Edward almost chuckled at the look in her eyes. If she was blonde and younger, he'd be watching out for wrenches.

He gave her a last hug and hopped back on his horse. "I hope to see some of you there," he yelled as he rode off. He gritted his teeth as he thought about the last person he had to talk to. Fa Mung might be welcomed by Caspian's forces, or he might not. The only reason Edward knew the recluse was because his odd friend had once tried to eat him, and he didn't think the recluse had many other friends. How would he act in such a big group of individuals? Still, the firepower Fa Mung would bring to their force couldn't be passed up. Not if they wanted a decent shot at the rebellion actually working.

Edward rode on through the forest, past the lake where the Beavers had lived for generations before the Telmaries decided to break their dam, and towards the two large hills in the distance. When he was close enough the see the ruins in the small valley between the hills, he veered off and headed towards the right one. A huge oak tree rose from the bottom of the hill, spreading its branches wide and strong. Edward dismounted when he reached the base and tied his horse's reins to a nearby tree. He didn't want to poor beast abandoning him when it saw Fa Mung. Removing his cloak and boots, he threw them in the saddlebags and started to climb the massive tree. He was about halfway up when a low voice rumbled, "Who invades my home?"

The blond scoffed loudly. "Invade? You told me I was always welcome."

A pause, and then "I don't recall ever saying that."

"You implied it," Edward shot back.

Another, longer pause. "I believe I said something along the lines of 'will you cease transforming the branches if I let you stay?' And that was only once."

Ed shrugged. "Details."

Finally, the long, sinuous tail uncoiled and Fa Mung glided down to land on the much, much thicker branch across from where Edward sat. "Enough mindless talk. What news do you bring?"

The former Fullmetal Alchemist grinned. "How would you like to send the Telmarines running?"


	5. A Council of War

When the day for the council of war at the Dancing Lawn finally dawned, Edward arrived at the location breathless and with a very tired horse. It had turned out that, while he had been in the army, his old friends had made a great many connections with other old Narnians, and had given him both proof of his friendship and directions to the hiding spots of these others. As a result, Edward had covered more than half of Narnia on horseback in the few days after he parted company with Caspian and really didn't want to see a saddle again for a few weeks.

Still, the results were worth it. The look on Caspian's face when the veritable crowd of old Narnians walked into the clearing was priceless. Several fawns, centaurs, two griffins, and several larger talking animals were in the crowd, which doubled the number gathered in the clearing. Then, as if that were not a big enough shock, Fa Mung chose that moment to land in the clearing and Edward heard Caspian utter a breathless "It's a dragon."

Trufflehunter chuckled. "My, my, old friend. You have been busy."

Edward went to reply, but was interrupted when a high voice said from right in front of the dragon, "Are you friend or foe, good sir?"

Fa Mung lowered his great scaly head and stared down the small talking mouse. Their gazes held for a long moment, as did the silence in the clearing. Dragons may not have fought on the side of the White Witch, but many Narnians were wary of the great beasts. Finally, after a full minute, Fa Mung broke the stare with a bow of his head. "I will fight by your side, if you wish. I'm really only here because _someone,"_ he shot a glower at Edward, "promised me a chance to put Miraz in his place." With that, Reepicheep jumped on the great beast's head, and the tension broke.

The clearing started to fill up with chatter. Introductions, arguments, a few plans, but mostly arguments filled the previously silent area. When talked turned to whether they should start the evening off with a dance, a feast, a midnight attack on the fortress, or throwing up embankments around the clearing, Edward put his foot down. "Hey!" He yelled across the clearing and ears turned to him. "We need to have the council before we do anything else. Now sit down, everyone, so we can start. Fa Mung, get out of the middle of the clearing." The dragon strode off to the side and the different beings around the circle took a seat. Edward very visibly chose to sit next to Caspian.

The Narnians turned to Caspian and sweat broke out of the back of his neck. What was he supposed to say? "I…uh…" He shrank into himself a bit as he looked at the centaurs and talking cheetahs staring at him. "I am Prince Caspian and I want to see Old Narnia again." That seemed to be the right thing to say, because shoulders relaxed around the clearing and many began to look at him with slightly less suspicion. He took another deep breath. "Since I was a little boy, I've heard stories of Old Narnia, first from my nurse and then from my tutor Dr. Cornelius and Edward." He gestured with a hand towards the blond. "I promised myself that, if I ever had the chance, I would try to rebuild Old Narnia. I thought that I would have to wait until I became king, but it looks like I'm starting now."

He could see their eyes on him again, but this time it did not make him nervous. "My uncle killed my father, the rightful king, so that he could take his place. He would have let me grow up in the palace and rule after him because he had no son to pass the throne to. That changed a few nights ago, and now he is after my life because I stand in his way." He looked around the clearing again, meeting the eyes of as many people as possible. "Help me reclaim the throne. Help me, and we will rebuild Narnia together."

One of the dwarves spoke up. "And just how are we going to do that? Storm Miraz's castle?"

Caspian looked around for help and Edward came up next to him. "Miraz's castle is built to withstand warfare. Attacking him there is a suicide mission. But," he added when it looked like a clamor would break out again, "the Telmarines are trying to construct a bridge over the Fords of Beruda. The construction project is guarded by soldiers, mostly for show." He let out a small, fierce smile. "If we attack there, we'll get Miraz's attention, but we'll have many more advantages than them."

"What do you mean," Pattertwig asked from his seat in one of the trees.

"There's a place we can use as a fortress near there," said one of the fauns.

Caspian had not met this faun previously, so he asked, "What is your name?"

The older goat smiled at him. "Zachary Tumnus, descendant of Mr. Tumnus, much beloved by the kings and queens of old. My family has kept records for Narnia over the years, so we know many secrets. Such as Aslan's How." An excited chatter began at these words, though it quickly died again when Zachary continued. "Aslan's How is a veritable fortress, though not like Miraz's castle. It's greatly feared by the Telmarines and in the outskirts of the great forest. There are also many tunnels dug into the ground there which we can utilize. It is also said that prayers said before the Stone Table have a special connection to the Emperor over the Sea and the Great Lion. We could ask for no greater help."

Glenstorm nodded. "The faun speaks wisely. Aslan's How will be the seat of the new Narnia. What say you, my king?" He looked at Caspian.

The young prince's head reeled. Aslan's How? The story about Him and the White Witch was true? "I…yes, that sounds like an ideal place. When should we move there?"

"Soon," Edward answered almost before Caspian had finished his question. He glanced over at the prince and then continued. "Miraz will start to look for Caspian soon and we need to get to the How before that happens, leaving no tracks behind. The longer we can manage to keep the rebellion a secret, the better it will be for us. We go tonight."

After that, quarreling broke out. Some, like the three Bulgy Bears, protested loudly against going anywhere before they'd had dinner. Fa Mung and the two griffins wanted to leave immediately, and suggested carrying a few of the smaller members of the party. Reepicheep claimed he would ride the dragon all the way to the How. The moles thought it would be better to dig a tunnel that lead there, but the fauns refused to go underground for such a long time. The raven and Pattertwig both chattered away with no one really listening to them and Zachary argued with a contingent of dwarves about how to best use the tunnels under the How. The big cats paced around growling at anyone who came to close and Caspian tried his best to get everyone's attention.

Finally, Edward again shouted, "Hey!" The chatter died and many looked a bit sheepish. "We can all start when we chose, just as long as everyone gets there in the next three days. Caspian and I will ride out first with those who can fly or run fast enough to keep up." He looked straight at the cats when he said this and many nodded. "If you aren't there in three days, we'll assume you either can't or have chosen to run away from this fight." Loud protests rose until the former alchemist had to shout again. "This meeting is adjourned. Zachary, I need to talk to you and get directions." With that, the Council ended and various members either went to get dinner or started packing up and preparing to move out.


	6. Journeys and Jaguars

As the contingent of mice climbed atop a very amused dragon, Caspian mounted up and looked for Edward. The blond was still talking with the old fawn, Zachary, Caspian recalled. He pointed out a cluster of stars to Edward and gave him a gentle hug before the man walked back towards the horses with most of the big cats following him. Underneath him, the prince's horse skittered to one side when it saw the lanky predators, but Caspian calmed it by whispering in its ears and running his fingers through its mane. Edward mounted up next to him and pointed out the cluster of star just a little to the northeast. "The How lies under that bundle of stars. We'll follow that through the forest until we reach it."

"How will we keep track of them in the woods?" Caspian asked.

"I'll ride with you and climb up into the trees whenever you need me to check," chattered a voice and the prince noticed, for the first time, the bundle of fur on Edward's shoulder. A furry head with intelligent eyes popped up and Caspian found Pattertwig staring at him. "I can also show you where the nuts are so we can gather them for provisions, and the fruit trees, and the berry bushes, and the-"

"Pattertwig," Edward interrupted, "what did I ask you to do?"

The tiny creature's head slumped. "That we need to travel with speed and stealth. So we won't stop to pick anything, and that I need to be quiet."

The older man nodded. "Yes. Still, you can tell us when we pass those trees. We'll need to gather provisions eventually and knowing where to find those trees will be important when we do. Just try not to chatter too much." He smiled at the squirrel, who nodded emphatically. Then he turned in the saddle and addressed the cats. "One of you should go ahead as a scout. Silkesh, that'll be you. No arguing!" He finished when it looked like a fight might break out. "We're going now."

Silkesh shot into the underbrush and, after a minute or two, the rest of the group followed. Caspian looked back at the clearing, where the griffins and Fa Mung still waited. "Why haven't they taken off yet?"

"Look at the sky," Edward said by way of an answer. "The stars have come out, but there's still a bit of sunlight. They'll wait until it's darker than pitch to follow us. Griffins and dragons both have excellent night vision, as well as cats. That's why they're scouting ahead for us." He turned and gave the young prince a smile. "What you said back there was impressive. Also, it's true. You'll be a good king."

Caspian turned away to hide his smile at the praise and then said on a more serious note, "We have to win my kingdom back first."

"For that, Sire, you will have all our teeth and claws," one of the cats said unexpectedly, making Caspian's horse shy away a bit.

The prince soothed his mount quietly. Looking down, he almost didn't see the lithe shape next to him that had spoken. Then they passed through a smallish clearing and the moonlight revealed the figure of a jaguar. Dappled leaf patterns from the branches overhead had camouflaged the cat. "Thank you for your comradeship. What is your name," Caspian asked.

"Roskin, Your Highness," the cat replied, purring a little on the first letter. "I and my fellow cats were found by your teacher where we'd hidden in the southern forests of Narnia. I in particular am honored to be a part of this." A purr resonated in her chest. "He told me many stories about you while we were traveling."

Caspian grinned at the cat. "I am glad to have you, Roskin. Maybe you can tell me some about your family later." In response the purring grew louder and Roskin buffeted the prince's boot with her muzzle.

A few minutes later, Edward sent Pattertwig up through the branches to check their course. "We're headed in the right direction," she squirrel said in his rapid-fire fashion, "and I saw the dragon and others flying overhead as well. Oh, and the tree I climbed up had the most abundant crop of almonds."

Edward nodded. "Good, thank you Pattertwig. Can you run ahead and ask Silkesh to come back to us? We're getting close, so he doesn't need to scout for us anymore." The squirrel bobbed his head and scampered off through the branches. The blond threw an arm out and said, "We'll stop here for a bit and rest until the two of them return."

"We don't need a rest," one cat spoke up with an affronted air.

"The horses do, though, and Caspian and I have had nothing to eat for hours." He stood in his stirrups, reached over his head, and plucked an apple. "An old orchard is as good a place as any to stop." He threw the fruit to Caspian, who waited until his teacher also had an apple before taking a bite. The fruit was sweet and juicy, tasting all the better because of his hunger.

He finished the snack in minutes and had started looking for a second one when Silkesh came into view with Pattertwig following a moment later. The cat bowed its head and addresses the two humans. "There's about ten minutes ride more in the forest before we come out onto a large grassy area. The How is in the middle. May I suggest that the king and his teacher continue into the How while I and my fellow cats hunt in these woods for provisions?"

Edward opened his mouth to answer, but deferred at the last moment to Caspian. If he was going to be their king, he would have to start making these decisions on his own, no matter how much Ed wanted to play big brother. Caspian nodded. Roskin spoke next. "I suggest Pattertwig lead them the rest of the way and go to the How with them, but I should also go with them. I am the biggest of the cats."

The growls that answered the suggestion were affirmative, so the smallest member lead the two men and single cat through the rest of the forest and out onto the plain. There wasn't much more than blackness in front of them, which made Caspian's shoulders slump. He'd been hoping to at least see the How. But he drew his shoulders back again, promising himself that he would see it tomorrow, and continued on into the place that would soon be so much more than just a place to sleep.

 **That thing with Roskin kind of just happened, but it's part of what I'm trying to do. See, because Edward and Caspian still had their horses, they could go farther afield in Narnia and gather together more people, like the big cats and griffins we saw fighting in the first narnia movie. Also, Caspian isn't under quite so much pressure because he has a wiser head to depend on, and so can be a little more friendly with his troops. Hence, Roskin. Dang, I'm having too much fun creating original characters, Like Zachary Tumnus, Fa Mung, and Silkesh.**

 **Please Review!**


	7. Entering the How

The next morning, Caspian woke to a deliciously soft, warm pillow. He turned his head, letting the soft fur caress his cheek. Wait, why was his pillow furry? Vibrations rumbled under his ear and he jolted upright, quickly looking away from Roskin's amused face. "Why are you embarrassed?" the cat purred. "Don't you remember last night?"

Slowly, the mortification faded from his face as last night's events played out in his mind. As they'd bedded down for the night, Edward had lamented the fact that they had no pillows, mostly as a joke, and Roskin had offered to provide such comfort. Edward had turned her down, saying he didn't want to wake up with a face full of fur, but Caspian had accepted.

Now, he reached out and ran a hand between her ears and down her thick strong neck. "Yes, I remember. Thank you."

Edward chose that moment to speak up. "Well, now that you're awake, you should come outside. Some of the others have arrived." Caspian quickly threw his boots on, which he'd removed the night before the sleep, and headed towards where the light filtered in from outside. The blond met him and Roskin halfway through the tunnel entrance and they continued out together.

"What are all of those," Caspian asked, noticing the carvings along the walls. Most depicted scenes, but a few were landscapes or portraits of Narnians.

Edward glanced at a few as they passed. "They're pictures from the war between the White Witch and Aslan. The whole How will probably be covered in them. We can probably take a better look later, if you want. Bring Zachary if you do. He knows more about the history than anyone I've ever met. Speaking of Zachary," he added, "he's here."

Indeed, a whole bunch of Old Narnians were waiting outside of the entrance, including Zachary and his family. Quite a few people were missing from the council, like the bears, but Caspian figured they would show up later in the day or the day after that. Glenstorm stepped forward and bowed his head to Caspian. "We have come, Prince Caspian. Now, I suggest we move into the How. Men will be arriving soon to work on the Fords and we do not wish to be discovered."

"Yes, of course," Caspian quickly capitulated and the many outside followed the two men into the How. Luckily, the chamber where Caspian's small group had spent the night was a large one, big enough to hold almost all of the makeshift army. The taller members were persuaded to stand at the back, where they could still see the goings-on and not block anyone else's view. The prince took a moment and looked around. The walls were covered in depictions of the different races of Narnia, from the images of talking animals to the portraits of good giants. Their own giant friend, Wimbleweather, was one of the friends in the back, stooping a bit but still quite happy. His breath stopped a moment at the sight, but the moment passed and he said, "Now we must plan on how to proceed. First, we will explore this fortress and find places for everyone. We will not be changing it unless we absolutely must," he added, remembering the argument he'd overheard between Zachary and a few of the dwarves, "but there should be enough space for everyone. Most of you are free to do this, but report to Trumpkin what you find, and he will inform Edward and myself of anything we need to know. In the meantime, I ask that Glenstorm, Roskin, Reepicheep, Zachary, Metaphil the griffin, and Trufflehunter accompany Edward and I to one of the smaller chambers to plan our next move."

With that, the crowd broke up into the individual races and went to hunt for lodgings best suited to themselves. The six individuals Caspian had asked to remain behind fought through the rushing crowd until they reached the two men at the front of the room. Once they'd all taken a seat on the floor, Caspian began. "As I see it, we need to do two things in the next few days; slow the construction of the bridge, and gather more allies." Heads nodded. "For the first, I say we send Reepicheep and his fellow mice to sabotage the work they've already done. Chewing through the bridge's bindings, spilling their food supplies, hiding their tools, that sort of thing. As long as it's not too noticeable and no one gets severely hurt, they can choose what to do." He looked the mouse in the face. "Can I trust you with this, Reepicheep?"

The mouse twirled his whiskers with a grin on his face. "My fellow mice and I will do all that your majesty asks. When shall we set out?"

"Tonight," Caspian answered with a grin.

"Then," the mouse continued, "I shall go and begin making the preparations for tonight's raid. Might I be excused?"

"Of course, my good mouse. Good luck go with you."

The mouse smiled again, but said in a stronger voice, "We need no luck, simply Aslan." With that, the small figure departed, dashing off to find the rest of his people.

"What about gathering allies?" Zachary asked. "Most of the Old Narnians I know of have already joined us. Who else is there to ask?"

"My tutor, Dr. Cornilius, told me that there are many in Narnia who wish to see my uncle's regime gone and a return to Old Narnia," Caspian began to explain. "If we could reach those who wish for the old days, without alerting those who would fight against us, our numbers would increase dramatically."

"How do you propose we do this," Roskin asked. "Should we parade through human towns and see who runs to pet us?"

Caspian winced, but continued. "Something like that." He turned to the griffin. "Can you organize those among us who can fly? They can make passes over towns, high enough that those who aren't looking won't see you, but those who are looking will. If they know anything about Old Narnia, they'll be able to recognize you and might follow you. Then you can land somewhere safe and talk with them."

"What if the wrong sort follow us, sire," Metaphil asked, but the idea sounded good to him.

"We can have defenders waiting in the clearing where you land, or perhaps some of our smaller comrades could ride you."

Metaphil shook out his wings in distaste. "We dislike being ridden, sire. But the first idea has merit. I will ask my brethren and the others who fly what they think of this idea. Is there anything else," he asked.

Caspian shook his head. "No, that is all." And so the first gathering of Caspian's future generals came to a close.

 **I've been in a writing frenzy! This chapter just sort of happened, with the council of war. Also, I changed the original council to people who would actually know what to do in war, or have a unique perspective. We have our air force, Metaphil, fastest, Roskin, scouts, Reepicheep, Tactician, Zachary, Glenstorm, one of the generals, and Trufflehunter as mediator, along with of course Edward and Caspian. Isn't the butterfly affect just wonderful? Also, I must thank my husband for helping me think of the recruiting plans. That aspect will get better when the Pevinsies and Cornilius get there.**

 **Although, I'm wondering if Caspian will need to blow the horn at all. Should I bring in Susan, Peter, Edmund, and Lucy? Review and tell me what you think!**


	8. That Which Was Hoped For

Reepicheep ran a hand over his belt until it rested on his sword hilt. He looked up at the centaur who'd carried him and his people to the bank of the river and said, "thank you for your kind services, friend. We will take it from here and be back to the camp before morning." The centaur nodded, hiding a smile in the action. So small of stature, and yet the mouse had such a grand heart. Silently, he turned tail and headed back into the comforting concealment of the forest. The mice turned in the opposite direction and eyed the camp of men.

Eyeing his troops, Reepicheep commanded, "Peepicheep, take six comrades and disturb the finished construction work. The rest shall follow me and make life in the camp rather a trial." He twirled his whiskers as a few of the mice chuckled. Their orders from Caspian were to harm no one, but there was plenty else a mouse could do to make the coming day unpleasant. They set out. Peepicheep's group quickly boarded the unfinished bridge and started chewing away at the various ropes binding the pieces together. The ropes were thick and covered in tar, but mice exhibited a particular valour when knowing through cord and ropes. It was, after all, the deed that had earned them their speech, and they kept up the diligent work.

Reepicheep's much larger group scurried into the camp and split up again. The three with the best sense of smell were ordered to find the kitchen and wreak havoc, while the remaining mice discovered the tool shed. "Quickly, grab any hammers and small tools you can. We shall dump them in the river!" They eagerly nodded and began loading what tools they could manage onto their backs. The group was halfway back to the banks when a light came around the corner of the massed tents.

All of them froze. _Please, Great Lion, do not let the light glint off the tools,_ Reepicheep prayed. They stood, stock still, on the bank and strained their ears to listen to the footsteps. Were they slowing, coming closer?

Were they about to be discovered?

No, the footsteps retreated and the mice breathed a quiet sigh of relief. They continued their trek, slid the tools into the river just far enough for the current to catch and sweep downstream, and went to collect their fellow mice. The three they'd sent to the cook tent returned when they were halfway to the bridge. "We split the seams of several of their bags of preserved goods," they reported. "Breakfast will be a little slow for the men," they added with a bit of delight.

Reepicheep nodded. "Did any guards see you?" They shook their heads. "Good. We must just collect the others, swim across the river, and get back to camp." Which they then did. The first blow of the War for Old Narnia had been struck, and the other side didn't even know it yet.

* * *

Miriam threw a look over her shoulder as she skirted the tanner's. Good, no one was following her. The pine needles were soft and muffled her footsteps as she crept between the trees. Please, let it be what she thought. Her brother and her had traded secrets under bedcovers for years, thinking about talking ravens, giants, but most of all the flying beasts. If she'd seen what she thought she saw in the sky only an hour ago…well she'd be sneaking into the army camp to tell him about it, guard or no.

Leaves rustled off to her right and she clutched the branch in her hand tighter, just in case it was something other than what she hoped for. Slowing even further, she padded quietly around the bush the noise had come from and caught a glimpse of something tawny in color. Quickly, she hid behind a tree trunk. Something was there, and it was big. This could either be everything she'd hoped, or something she had no chance against. With a deep breath, she peeked around the edge of the trunk.

She forgot to let it back out.

Huge enormous feathered wings swept back against furred haunches that ended in a tufted tail. A gleaming beak curved downward, looking even more deadly than the talons on its front feet. Seamlessly, the feathers on its head and neck blended into the tawny fur of its body, and it's sharp eyes were fixed on her. Terror and excitement shot up her spine with equal intensity and she whipped her head back behind the tree. It was a griffin. It was actually a griffin! She might die in the next two seconds because what match was her stick against those talons but she'd actually seen a griffin!

"I'm not going to hurt you, small one." The voice was coming from behind her and she dared another look. The beast had taken a step towards her, but the corner of its beak had turned up and the slant of his eye had changed to something that looked less like it was going to eat her. The terror in her blood faded just the slightest hint and she took a step away from her shield.

* * *

Andrew sulked as he threw another log on the watchfire and sighed. Technically, his relief should have already arrived, but as the man was of higher rank, he'd obviously decided Andrew needed less sleep than his more important self and had left the young man there in the dark to wait out the remainder of the night. Ah well. At least he was alone. The very young man let his grip on the spear slacken a touch more as he tipped his head back and looked up at the starry sky, picking out the constellations he and his younger sister had loved. Not the legendary Telmarine warriors. No, he looked for the Narnian stars, the figures of forbidden stories. Sadly, he could barely make them out because of the firelight, but if he squinted his eyes hard enough…

Something large blotted out several stars. He clutched his spear more tightly as he heard it land not too far away, just inside the boundary of the forest. Tempting though it was to stay close by the fire, Andrew ventured a bit further until he could touch the bushes with his spear point. A small, furry thing ran out of the leaves and Andrew drew back his spear to strike.

"Please, don't do that," the thing said. The soldier dropped his spear and his eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "Are you Andrew?" The critter asked, seemingly unsurprised by his attitude. The youth nodded. "My name is Pattertwig. Metaphil and I met your sister Miriam a few days ago. Here, she gave me this for you." The squirrel, Andrew finally realized with a jolt, held out a piece of white cloth. Slowly, he reached out a hand that just brushed the critter's furry paw before he drew it back and looked at the cloth. It was one of his sister's handkerchiefs. No one else embroidered their initials so badly, with knots everywhere.

He smiled at the familiar cloth, then looked at the messenger again. _Miriam always hoped they weren't gone,_ he thought. "Did she give you a message for me, my Narnian friend?" Andrew asked. He'd freak out more thoroughly later. He didn't want to look a fool in front of his very first Narnian.

The squirrel smiled at him, which should have looked odd with his furry face but somehow didn't. "She said, if you want to see giants, follow the squirrel." Andrew ran back into the camp to gather his gear.

 **Wow! It's been too long since I took a leap into this realm for a spin. I hope I still remember all the plans I had for it. Still, here we see the planning from last chapter come to fruition, and yet more OCs. Maybe, since Mr. Lewis didn't do a whole lot of fleshing out for many of the Narnians, I feel compelled to fill the ranks a little. The guy was a great writer (seriously, I love the Screwtape Letters) but his characters can be a bit dry. As always, if you have anything to say, please do. Comments are always appreciated.**


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